Cristiano Ronaldo’s quest for 1,000 career goals is making news again. He scored a penalty in Portugal’s 3-2 victory over Hungary during the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. This goal ties him with Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz as the leading scorer in qualifying history.
This goal is Ronaldo’s 39th in World Cup Qualifiers, matching Ruiz’s record that he set in September 2016 when he became the all-time leader, surpassing Iran’s Ali Daei.
After the achievement, Ruiz shared his thoughts on social media. He expressed pride in being mentioned with Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who has 36 qualifying goals for Argentina.
“Today I realized that the record for most goals in World Cup Qualifiers has gained real significance… nine years later! Being mentioned alongside these two legends is the best part, as that gives the record true value. It often feels overlooked as a Central American,” Ruiz said on X (formerly Twitter).
With this goal, Ronaldo is also getting closer to another landmark. He now has 943 career goals, just 57 away from 1,000.
Cristiano Ronaldo set to break the record
With Lionel Messi not set to play in World Cup Qualifiers for Argentina anymore, Ronaldo has the chance to surpass Ruiz’s record from 2016.
Portugal will play Ireland on October 11 and Hungary on October 14, both at home. These matches could be the perfect chance for Ronaldo to take the record in front of his fans.
Top scorers in World Cup Qualifiers
Currently, Ronaldo is the highest-scoring active player in World Cup Qualifiers. Poland’s Robert Lewandowski also ranks among the top five scorers.
Here are the top five all-time scorers still active in qualifiers:
- 1- Carlos Ruiz (Guatemala): 39 goals
- 2- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): 39 goals
- 3- Lionel Messi (Argentina): 36 goals
- 4- Ali Daei (Iran): 35 goals
- 5- Robert Lewandowski (Poland): 32 goals